Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yeah, That's a mouthful to say... It's also a mouthful when you shove two cookies at a time in your mouth. AMAZING. Easily my new favorite cookie, Easily.

I made these about a week ago because I was sick of Halloween candy and was in the mood for something sweet and baked. Luckily, that morning I was visiting one of my favorite foodie blogs (Mel's) and I just had to make them when I got home from work. 

Since I didn't want to binge and eat the entire batch, which yields about 4 dozen, I put them in baggies and stuck them in the freezer. ... Now, I had good intentions. However, I took a baggie of cookies out of the freezer every day. Oh well, I tried. Right?

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup quick oats

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1- 12 oz. bag milk chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl of a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer) cream together: butter, peanut butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix until the batter turns light in color, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the flour, oatmeal, baking soda and salt.

When it is mostly combined add in the chocolate chips and mix until well combined. Scoop out cookie dough onto a sprayed cookie sheet, I used bakers joy - my favorite! Space the cookies 1-2 inches apart. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned and still soft int the center. Remove the cookies to a cooling rack. Grab a cup of cold milk and go to town! 

Fyi, make sure you eat one while the cookies are still warm, with a nice crunchy outside and gooey center. OH. MY. GOODNESS. I might make these again today (since I've already cleaned out my freezer stash).

Notes: 

Like I already pointed out these can be frozen for later and they are excellent! I also made these again and I used a cheap (store brand) chocolate chip and it just wasn't as good with the peanut butter as the Nestle chocolate chips I used the first time. 

Recipe: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Individual Oreo Cheesecakes

Ever have one of those days when you want to binge on an entire box of Oreo cookies? Yeah, me too... However, I held back for the sole purpose of wanting to binge on these little Oreo cheesecakes. 

This all came about when I found a coupon for Oreo cookies in the Sunday paper. I was so excited when I actually remembered to take the coupon with me when I went to the grocery store. Then I realized that in order to get the discount I had to buy three boxes...Hmmm, worth it? I'm a sucker.  Then when I got home and began to unpack the groceries (and proceeded to eat a row of cookies) I realized that I had about six packages of cream cheese sitting in one of my refrigerator drawers and then *ding* I remembered that I had an awesome recipe! ...and that helped me to stop eating the cookies.

These mini cheesecakes are rich and creamy with a delicious Oreo crust. They are a great make ahead dessert and impress everyone who gets a bite!

INGREDIENTS:

(makes approx 30-36)

56 Oreo Cookies, (36 left whole, 20 coarsely chopped)

2 pounds of cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla 

4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

1 cup sour cream

Salt, just a pinch

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.

Line a muffin tin with paper cups. Place one whole Oreo in the bottom of each paper cup, set aside.

Coarsely chop approx. 20 more cookies, set aside.

Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth, scraping down the sides of your bowl as you go. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until combined. Scrape down bowl and then slowly drizzle in your lightly beaten eggs; mixing until incorporated. Next mix in the sour cream and salt. Once well combined stir in the coarsely chopped cookies by hand. 

Divide the batter evenly among the cups, filling each of them to the top. Bake 22 minutes, rotating  the pan halfway through the cook time (11 minutes). Cool completely then refrigerate for at least four hours until filling is completely set.  Serve cold. 

Notes: If you can't wait to eat one of these little cakes pop a couple in the freezer and check back in about an hour - Mmmm... totally worked.

Recipe: slightly adapted from Just Cook Already

How I make friends - Amish Friendship Bread

This bread is everywhere this time of year. The reason it is called friendship bread is because it requires a bread start and every ten days you split your start into four new starts and make bread (see notes).  Then you share your extra starts with your friends. I make friends by sharing the already baked bread. Seriously, no one can resist the comforting cinnamon/spice flavor of this sweet bread; it's like fall in your mouth. 

Anywho, this bread is dangerously addictive!! My family sometimes calls it Devil Bread because they just can't turn it down. 

First things first, you'll need a start. You could find a friend who wants to share or you can start your own.  I have started my own the past couple years and it works great. 

STARTER INGREDIENTS:

1 pkg active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1 cup warm milk

DIRECTIONS:

In a plastic or glass bowl (no metal) combine flour and sugar, mix. 

In a smaller bowl dissolve yeast in warm water until foamy, about 10 minutes. When the yeast is foamy add warm milk, then combine with the flour and sugar mixture. Mix well and pour into a gallon sized plastic bag, seal and lay flat on your counter (Do not refrigerate). This is Day 1.

During days 1 - 10 the batter will thicken, bubble and ferment. If air fills the bag just squeeze it out.

Day 1: Do nothing. Place bag on a flat surface.

Day 2: Squeeze bag several times.

Day 3: Squeeze bag several times.

Day 4: Squeeze bag several times.

Day 5: Squeeze bag several times

Day 6: Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk to bag. Seal and then squeeze bag to mix.

Day 7: Squeeze bag to mix. 

Day 8: Squeeze bag to mix.

Day 9: Squeeze bag to mix.

Day 10:  In a large non-metal bowl, combine batter with 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of milk. Mix with a non-metal spoon/spatula. Pour 4- 1 cup starters into 4 one-gallon zip-lock bags. give these away with a copy of the instructions. There will be about 1 cup left of batter remaining in the bowl. To the left over batter add the 'bread ingredients'. 

Then, if you keep a bag of starter for yourself start again at day 1.

BREAD INGREDIENTS:

3 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 large box of instant vanilla pudding

1 cup starter

For the pan: 

Cooking spray

Mix together:

1/3 cup sugar +1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, divided

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare your bunt pan or bread pans by spraying with cooking spray. My favorite is Bakers Joy. Then,while the cooking spray is still wet, dust your pan(s) with 1/2 of the cinnamon and sugar mixture.  If you are using a bunt pan make sure you cover it completely- including the flute. 

Mix all of the bread ingredients together in a non-metal bowl until well combined. The batter will be thick. pour into your pan and sprinkle the top of the bread with the more of the cinnamon sugar mixture; you may end up with extra cinnamon/sugar- no biggie, save it for next time.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Notes: 

After a while you are going to run out of friends to give it to or maybe you don't want to share it until someone asks you (like me). So, I'm going to tell you a big secret... you don't have to follow the ten day rule, you have options!  After the 'goo', as I lovingly call it, starts to ferment and bubble you are good to go. Just make sure to squeeze the bag daily and feed it with equal amounts of sugar, flour and milk at least once a week. When I want to keep mine growing without creating tons of starter/goo I add 1/4 cup of sugar, milk and flour.

Another misconception about the ten day rules is that you can't bake with it right after you add the sugar, flour, milk combo. False, if you know you are going to be baking a bunch of loafs add a cup of each one day and then bake it the next day. You'll have tons of goo all to yourself. Happy baking! 

Lets talk about the starter. It's stinky... really stinky. If it smells rotten that's a good sign. It should bubble, stink and fill the bag with air. 

Here are some examples of what things are going to look like:

                          Day 1                                        Day 3                                      Bread Day

If you have any questions please email me: Casscooks@gmail.com and I'd be happy to help. (it can be confusing) 

You can also switch up the flavors of your bread by adding different pudding flavors, nuts, dried fruit, chocolate chips etc.  My Mom has added pumpkin and chocolate chips before and it turns out great! Experiment and have fun!

Starter Recipe: Cooks.com

Bread Recipe: Passed from friend to friend. 

Rustic Apple Tart

Number one, witness the cuteness of Mommy-daughter cooking (Hiiiiii Mom). My Mom and I first made this recipe - sans measurement. It was super delicious and I had to make it again (with measurements)!

Makes approx. 16 personal sized tarts. feel free to half the recipe on the crust. 

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:

2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

3/4 c. chilled Crisco

4 - 8 ice water

Milk for brushing

Filling:

4 - 5 granny smith apples

2 nectarines or peaches or pears

1 tbsp cornstarch

2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 c. sugar

1 1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pumpkin spice

1/4 tsp lemon zest

1 tbsp lemon juice

pinch of nutmeg

Topping:

2 tbsp sugar in the raw (optional)

4 tbsp butter, cut into 1/4 tbsp cubes (or 16 equal pieces)

DIRECTIONS:

Crust:

Blend/cut salt, flour, and cold Crisco into a course crumble. Sprinkle with half the recommended maximum amount of ice water.  Add more if needed. Tips perfect pie crust found HERE

Form into two equal sized disks and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 

Filling:

While the crust is chilling, wash fruit and cut up into uniform bite sized chunks (approx. 1/4 inch thick). Toss fruit into a large bowl and toss with lemon juice and set aside. 

In a medium sized bowl mix the sugar, cornstarch, zest and remaining spices - mix well. Next, this is important- because my Momma told me so... taste the mixture with a spoon or maybe a piece of cut up apple (yum). From doing this you can determine what spices you may need to add more of, if any. Do not add it to the fruit until you're ready to fill your tarts.

When the crusts are chilled cut each disk into 6-8 pieces and roll into balls.  Flatten the balls one at a time and roll out into tiny round crusts.  Place the flattened crusts on to parchment paper.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix together the "perfected" spice and sugar mixture with the cut up fruit and begin filling the tiny pie crusts. Fill the crusts in the middle and stack it high (approx 1/2 c.). Next, gently fold the pie crust up over the fruit. You only need to create a lip over the fruit so it won't loose all the juices during cooking, be careful not to tear the fragile crust. 

After all the tarts are made brush them with milk, drop a 1/4 tbsp cube of butter on top of the fruit and sprinkle with sugar in the raw.

Bake for 50 - 40 minutes until the crust is golden and the fruit is tender. 

Notes: You can use whatever fruit you have on hand with the apples. I have made it with all the fruits I listed above. 

Crust Recipe: Crisco Classic Pie Crust

Filling Recipe: The Gregarious Glutton

Peach and Plum Oatmeal Crumble Bars

I can't believe how busy I've been lately. I'm attributing it to the end of summer madness and that silly little thing called my full time job (poor excuse... I know). However, I do have a bunch of recipes that I need to post and I also have a couple days off coming up which means it's time to try some new recipes! Oooh, and I can't wait to start sharing my fall recipes. I LOVE FALL.

In the meantime here is another delicious summer stone fruit recipe! It's pretty darn tasty and after it cools it is easily cut up into bars - which means it's easy to pick one up on my way past the plate and shove it in my mouth (yikes...) or it's awesome served warm with some vanilla ice cream on the side!

INGREDIENTS:

Filling:

5 cups peeled, chopped peaches and plums. (about 3 or 4 of each)

5 tsp cornstarch

1 lemon, juiced

Pinch of ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp brown sugar

Crust:

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 cup uncooked quick oats

1 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all filling ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.

Preheat oven to 

375 degrees F. Combine all crust ingredients in a large bowl. Mix with your hands or with a wooden spoon until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture. Press remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of a greased 13x9 inch baking pan. Spread filling over pressed crust. Then finish off by sprinkling the reserved crumb mixture over top of the filling.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.

Cool completely and cut into bars or serve warm with ice cream!

NOTES: Make sure you have ripe flavorful peaches and plumbs because the flavor of the fruit really comes through in these bars. Mmmm... ENJOY!

Recipe: Slightly adapted from The Baker Chick

Peach Raspberry Cobbler

This is hands down my favorite cobbler recipe. I first made it about five years ago when I saw it in Cooking Light Magazine. It really lets the delicate summer fruit flavors shine and the biscuit topping is: to. die. for.

INGREDIENTS:

Filling:

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1/4 tsp salt

4 cups peaches, peeled and chopped (approx. 5 peaches)

3/4 cup fresh raspberries

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

cooking spray

Topping:

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp chilled butter, cut into small pieces

2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk

1 1/2 tbsp turbinado sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees 

Prepare Filling: combine sugar, flour, lemon zest and salt in a large bowl. Add the peaches, berries and lemon juice, mix together. Spoon mixture into a baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake filling at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

To prepare topping, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, stirring with a whisk. Cut in chilled butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add buttermilk; stir just until moist. 

Remove dish of filling from the oven and drop dough onto the peach mixture to form 8 rounds. Sprinkle dough evenly with turbinado sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.

Yields 8 servings. 

NOTES: 

The original recipe calls for less peaches and blueberries instead of raspberries. I have also made this version and it is also amazing. However, I only had raspberries at home. I personally like the raspberry version better. 

If you want to be really bad and add more biscuit just double the recipe for topping. Oh those biscuits are delish! I'm pretty sure portion control by only having 8 biscuits is the reason it is in Cooling Light Magazine.

Recipe: Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine, July 2007

Ann's Sugar Cookies (THE BEST)

These are by far the most amazing, soft, melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies in the entire world. Seriously...no, SERIOUSLY. This recipe is one of my mother-in-law's gems. Give these a try today, you won't be sorry.
As and added bonus you can freeze these bad boys for later. This is good if you are having a big party, have a tendency to eat all the cookies you bake in one sitting or just want to save some for later.

INGREDIENTS:
Cookie:
1 lb. margarine, room temperature
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. baking powder
6 cups all-purpose flour

Frosting:
1 square margarine (8 tbsp)
1 tbsp vanilla
3 cups of powdered sugar
If needed: splash of milk to bring the frosting to the consistency you like.

DIRECTIONS:
Mix the margarine, eggs, sugar and vanilla until well combined. Add the baking powder and flour and mix well. The dough will be very soft.

Dump the dough out on a well floured surface and roll to a little over 1/4 inch. Cut out with your favorite cookie cutter and place on a greased baking sheet (I use bakers joy spray - AWESOME stuff).

Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, for 5 - 7 minutes.  You do not want these to brown so make sure you check at 5 minutes and then evaluate how much time you'll need to add. A good way to check the cookies is by lifting one cookie off the sheet and looking at the bottom. It should start to crisp and have little circles/air bubbles on the bottom.  After they are finished baking let cool.

After the cookies have cooled mix together one square of melted margarine, vanilla and powdered sugar. At this point you can also add fun colors. If the frosting is too thick add a splash of milk. If the frosting is too thin add a little powdered sugar until it become the consistency you like.

NOTES:
If freezing be sure to let the frosting harden a bit before stacking the cookies on top of each other. This can be done by putting them in the refrigerator or by letting them sit out on the counter until fully cooled.

RECIPE: Ann, the wonderful mother-in-law.